The Stories
by Ominae
Summary: A variety of stories set in the Jormungand world crossed over with various franchises/series from various medias in exploring various scenarios and topics. This focuses on various characters/organizations in the Jormungand world and their relations to the crossed franchise/series and vice versa as a part of the story, depending on the circumstances at hand.
1. Before Action

Jormungand: The Stories

By: Ominae

NOTE:

All characters/organizations of Jormungand are under the copyright of Keitaro Takahashi and WHITE FOX. Depending on the crossover used, they are used under the copyright of their respective creators. Anything else belongs to me.

SPOILER:

Do note that most of the stuff here is based on the manga/anime that you may not have seen yet. If this applies to you and you think you could be spoiled, back away from this for now and come back later. Same thing with the crossover stuff.

Summary:

A variety of stories set in the Jormungand world crossed over with various franchises/series from various medias in exploring various scenarios and topics. This focuses on various characters/organizations in the Jormungand world and their relations to the crossed franchise/series and vice versa as a part of the story, depending on the circumstances at hand. Crossover with many franchises/series.

Chapter 1: Before Action

* * *

September 12, 2011

2:30 PM

Corridor, somewhere in Firebase Lilley, Shkin, Barmal, Paktika, Afghanistan

* * *

A brown-haired Caucasian woman with neck-length hair wore a shirt, jeans and black military boots walked in one of the many corridors of Firebase Lilley, which served as the Central Intelligence Agency's main overseas base in Afghanistan after toppling the Taliban from power. With Al-Qaeda, Taliban remnants, Hezb-e-Islami Gulbuddin and the Haqqani network still a threat to Afghan stability under the rule of President Hamid Karzai, the CIA made it a priority that they should be able to neutralize most of the groups out of commission before an eventual withdraw of NATO-led forces would take place.

The woman smiled and greeted American soldiers who happened to pass her by. But there was one person who caught her full attention.

"Nice to see you, Ms. Hex."

Hex stood near a Caucasian man in his early 30s with gray hair. He wore a black windbreaker jacket with a hoodie on alongside brown tactical pants and military boots.

Hex smiled after seeing the man greet her. "I didn't expect to see you here so soon, Mr. Reese. Especially since you were supposed to be in Morocco."

"Please." The man insisted. "Just call me John, Hex. I insist. And I've completed my work back in Morocco, so there shouldn't be any further problems."

"Of course, John." Hex nodded at him. "What can I do for you?"

"It's not what." John shook his head. "But what you need to do..."

"Okay." Hex walked together with John. "What is that I need to do?"

"You'll see. It's something to do with an upcoming operation."

"An operation, huh?"

Hex could only give a smirk.

"Well I look forward to it."

"Oh I'm sure you will, Hex."

A few seconds later, a blonde Caucasian US Army soldier came to see the two CIA agents and informed them that their presence is immediately required in one of the firebase's briefing room ASAP.

* * *

September 12, 2011

2:36 PM

Briefing Room, Firebase Lilley, Shkin, Barmal, Paktika, Afghanistan

* * *

All of the people inside the briefing room are CIA agents stationed with the Special Activities Division or the SAD, known publicly to be the agency's special forces unit. The briefing been given today is with regards to an upcoming operation that required the apprehension of certain targets in cooperation with Afghan/NATO special forces.

Specifically, all of the agents inside are with the SAD's Special Operations Group. The SOG is the most secretive group within all American special forces units that the American government would not publicly say that they are with the CIA if they are captured or killed in any operation in a place that the United States doesn't want to be associated with publicly.

Among those who watched the briefing from the back of the room was a Caucasian man with fair skin, combed hair and glasses and without any business suit on. Instead, he wore a white polo shirt with a brown windbreaker and hood alongside tactical pants and brown military boots.

"Good to see you in high spirits, Bookman."

Bookman, aka George Black, was greeted by an African American man in his late 30s, who wore a desert yellow windbreaker and hoodie with tactical pants and boots of the same color. Considering the desert-like environment that the base is in, Bookman considered his clothes to be the appropriate clothes he has to wear until he gets back to America.

"Ah..." Bookman murmured for the man to hear since the debriefing was still going on that he didn't want to disturb the agents in the briefing room. He conversed with the man by whispering. "Same here."

"Why are you here? Your jurisdiction is suppose to be in Europe within the National Clandestine Service back in Langley."

"I know." Bookman nodded, hearing the man's concerns. "It also surprised me too." The two men continued to whisper to each other.

"Then what are you doing in Firebase..."

"I need to check out potential candidates from the SOG for a future operation I'm planning."

The man raised an eyebrow. "What operation?"

Bookman leaned in towards the man's and whispered some of the details at his left ear.

"No way..." The man murmured after hearing what George told him. "Is that... true Bookman?"

George grinned at the man while he watched the briefing wrap up with the SOG operatives slowly filling out of the room.

_Looks like I'll decide if Hex or John Reese would become a part of Operation Undershaft when the chance is there._

* * *

September 12, 2011

2:40 PM

Corridor, somewhere in Firebase Lilley, Shkin, Barmal, Paktika, Afghanistan

* * *

Hex and John continued to go over the details they had from the briefing a while ago. Among the details included information on a planned operation to capture a Muslim extremist from the Haqqani network. The briefing stated that he was to be captured alive, not dead. The only problem that they'll have is both of these HVTs will force the agents to shoot them instead of apprehending them.

The big catch that they, alongside all SOG operators had gotten from the briefing, was that he was of Japanese origin. They were also informed that there were some other extremists of foreign nationalities that they needed to capture or kill. Another one was of Singaporean origin, but they had no idea what his name was, aside from confirmation that he was of Chinese origin. The other man was to be captured alive as well.

"This is quite interesting." John mused as he walked with Hex. "Never knew that a Japanese Muslim would throw his lot with the Haqqani network of all groups. I thought that he'd be with Al-Qaeda or maybe the Taliban. Reminds of John Walker Lindh."

"Well as long as I can shoot every one of them terrorists dead, it'll be fine with me." Hex told John her intentions plain and simple.

John raised an eyebrow after hearing what Hex had told him. The CIA agent knew that they'd have to move out either later in the evening or by early morning alongside a Counterterrorist Pursuit Team unit to apprehend the two men alongside any potential HVTs on the way, should they be called out later on, while having assistance from Afghan/NATO special forces should things get a bit wild.

The two suddenly met up with Bookman, who stood near the two agents in the corridor. While John was a bit surprised to see Bookman in Firebase Lilley, Hex wasn't since she had met with him after he convinced her to join the CIA's SAD after the woman was forced to resign from the Wide Range Communications Platoon due to the fact that it was suppose to be an all-female special forces unit in the US Army.

"Chief Bookman." John greeted the glasses-wearing CIA officer in the hallway.

"Ah, Mr. Reese." Bookman nodded at John. "Please. Just call me Bookman."

"What are you doing here?" Hex asked him. "Aren't you suppose to be in Virginia, chief?"

"Some things have required my attention here in Afghanistan." Bookman replied to the woman. "Things that need my personal attention so much that just being in my office would not suffice."

"And what kind of attention does that need, Bookman?" John asked Bookman. "Most of us here know that Europe is your specialty."

Bookman could only grin at the gray-haired CIA agent.

"I'm afraid that's quite classified for now, Mr. Reese."

Chapter 1 END

* * *

PS - Note that I decided to remove "**Small Talk**" because I feel that it's not a story worth placing on this website. Not to mention that it was done in the day when I was just starting to do this. For that decision, I decided to remove it. But as a consolation, you get to see me write up stories on Jormungand! YAY! I've been a fan of it recently after I started reading the manga first before watching the anime adaptation. White Fox did a good job here, in addition to expanding a bit to give some more character backgrounds to certain people, like to Chinatsu for example.

Anyhow, this fic is meant for me to do in case I feel bored/need a break from reality once in a while in terms of work or whatever. However, I'll try to finish my two fics ASAP. Since I'm in a Jormungand fix right now, this'll have to do. Only plans for Jormungand is with a story when an amnesiac joins with Koko out of necessity and gets eventually involved with her group and find out who/what was responsible for the memory loss, going along with the group in the middle of the Dubai arc. But I don't know if I'll be able to write this stuff. Trust me, I don't. The only thing I can do is play it all on my head.

For now, this story has Jormungand crossed over with other franchises/series. This doesn't mean that all the chapters are linked with each other since they are stand alone, although there may be a chance (and there will be) that some are linked together in terms of plot. In the meantime, you can suggest a potential crossover if you think makes sense with Jormungand. Be warned that not all of them will be honored due to a.) It won't make sense. b.) I'm not that familiar with the franchise/series you want to use. c.) The suggestion is not applicable at all. Period.

I apologize if the chapters will jump up and about that most of them are not linked chronologically later on. I also added the time in terms of the location and details. Something I first did in my Martin Mystery fics and considering the COD series, I thought that it would be more realistic and cool in a way.

For this crossovered chapter, I give you **Person of Interest**. This takes place before Hex starts to go further ballistic and John's eventual assignment to China. The only thing I had to change is with Reese's time in China from May 2010 to September 2011 in order to coincide with an upcoming RL Afghan event that I plan to put up in the next chapter. Other than that, nothing else has been touched in either Jormungand or POI canon.

Apologies for a lack of action. The next chapter should offer that. As well as perhaps another franchise/series being crossed over aside from POI. More content should be there too.

In the meantime, I hope you folks enjoy the story. Let me know how it is in the reviews, yeah? Feel free to let me know as well if I made a mistake somewhere or what I can do in future chapters.


	2. After Action

Jormungand: The Stories

By: Ominae

NOTE:

All characters/organizations of Jormungand are under the copyright of Keitaro Takahashi and WHITE FOX. Depending on the crossover used, they are used under the copyright of their respective creators. Anything else belongs to me.

SPOILER:

Do note that most of the stuff here is based on the manga/anime that you may not have seen yet. If this applies to you and you think you could be spoiled, back away from this for now and come back later. Same thing with the crossover stuff.

Summary:

A variety of stories set in the Jormungand world crossed over with various franchises/series from various medias in exploring various scenarios and topics. This focuses on various characters/organizations in the Jormungand world and their relations to the crossed franchise/series and vice versa as a part of the story, depending on the circumstances at hand. Crossover with many franchises/series.

Chapter 2: After Action

* * *

September 13, 2011

6:40 AM

Salang, Parwan, Afghanistan

* * *

Reese and Hex were now deployed almost early in the morning in Afghanistan's Parwan Province, specifically at the District of Salang. The CIA had obtained reports that an armed group was seen at Parwan according to reports provided by the National Directorate of Security, Afghanistan's main intelligence agency in charge of domestic affairs, to the agency as well as to ISAF.

Because of this, the two SAD operatives are deployed alongside several Counterterrorist Pursuit Teams to help them liaise easily with Afghan security forces and the locals so that a situation won't start due to any potential misunderstandings.

"Very cold." Reese murmured. "Not that cold since I got to Afghanistan after the Taliban was toppled from power."

"Better than the heat we're getting south of the country, Reese." Hex murmured back. "Nice to have something for a change."

To cope with the very cold weather, Reese and Hex wore softshell pants and jackets with hoods, balaclavas to conceal their entire head, tactical gloves and boots to get around Parwan. Since they're SAD, they get to wear anything they wish to use. Especially with clothing that will not allow even the most ordinary of civilians to identify them as American commandos with the CIA. The same thing goes for the CTPT, although they wear a mix of military and civilian clothing or just wear military clothing without any patches on. Which is sort of okay with the SAD since the CTPT aren't agents per se, but are trained to conduct special forces-based activities in Afghanistan alongside the CIA and its allies to combat Al-Qaeda forces.

"All quiet here in this side of Parwan." Reese commented, seeing Afghan soldiers and police officers questioning civilians after they were the first ones to cordon off a large section of Parwan, which includes the Salang Pass, after loosing sight of a group of Al-Qaeda-linked fighters who were last seen traveling in a van in the province with important documents that needed to be secured ASAP. He didn't know why they were given orders to stick in this checkpoint with American soldiers. But orders are orders as they say, something he stuck on with ever since he enlisted in the army and back.

"Very quiet indeed." Hex seemed to agree with Reese, seeing that nothing extraordinary is happening in Salang Pass. Aside from the routine questioning of civilians in a makeshift Afghan Highway Police checkpoint. Afghan and American soldiers were also seen assisting them by either providing security or by helping police question travelers.

"You know, Hex. I don't know if being here is such a good idea at all."

"You mean being in an Afghan-American checkpoint?"

Reese nodded.

"I don't blame you at all, Reese."

"Hmm... I wonder how the other guys are doing?"

"I don't know. Can you ask them over the network?"

"I can try. But the last time I did that, I got in trouble for using the network like a mobile phone to ask the others on how they're doing..."

Hex laughed it off about Reese's sense of humor.

But that was until the two could hear what sounded to be gunshots coming from the rear of the checkpoint.

"Gunshots." Hex was alert to hear the gunshots, preparing her Colt M4 outfitted with a tactical foregrip (with a flashlight built in) and EOTech sight. Reese did the same thing when he saw Afghan civilians either keeping their hands down or simply run away from the line of fire. His M4, on the other hand, had a similar tactical foregrip and a red dot sight on the upper receiver.

"Everyone, keep your head down!" An American soldier shouted, who gestured to his colleague to engage the armed gunmen. His Afghan counterpart did the same thing.

Afghan policemen kept the checkpoint at lockdown, one of them requesting for anyone able to come and reinforce them while trying to help to get the civilians away from the area.

"Let's move." Reese said, shouldering his M4.

"Right." Hex did the same thing as she shouldered her M4 and set her carbine to fire at three rounds. Reese's M4 was set at semi-auto after initially using three rounds to fire at gunmen trying to hide by using abandoned cars as cover.

"Dammit!" Reese shouted, firing his M4 after spotting an AKM-armed gunman trying to shoot at him. He fired a few rounds into his chest, watching the armed man spin to his left before going down. "They've snuck up behind us."

"Can you radio for help?" Hex asked Reese, firing her M4 while using an abandoned Toyota pick-up truck for cover.

Reese nodded. He ceased firing his weapon and got on his radio, requesting for immediate assistance since he and Hex are under attack and most of the Afghan and American soldiers are also engaging the armed gunmen while the checkpoint is under attack from the rear.

Hex spotted another gunmen taking shots at her. But since she was gaining the upper hand by firing at his position, which was an abandoned Toyota Land Cruiser, the gunmen simply chose to ran away.

_Right at my sight. _Hex scoped the back of the fleeing gunmen and fired a few times with her M4. She saw him go down.

"Let's move."

Hex and Reese moved out, using the abandoned cars for cover as they moved on to see what the source of the gunfire was about.

* * *

While Afghan and American soldiers would secure the Salang Pass, Hex and Rex traveled down the cliffside towards the Salang Tunnel after getting reports that more gunmen were spotted trying to flee through the tunnel.

"This ought to be easy." Reese commented as they were approaching the tunnel by sliding a bit. "Ought to be better than just walking."

"Come on Reese. We're about there." Hex told Reese as they were nearing the ground next to the tunnel. The two SAD operatives were met at the entrance of the tunnel by several CTPT operators, already armed and waiting for orders on whether to proceed inside the Salang Tunnel or not.

"Sir. Madam." A CTPT operator, who wore ACU camos, web gear and a balaclava, greeted Hex. He was armed with a AKM assault rifle with a sling.

"What's the situation?" Hex asked the AKM-armed CTPT operator.

"More gunmen are inside the tunnel." The AKM-armed CTPT operator informed Hex. "We're waiting for orders on how to proceed."

Hex glared at the tunnel and at the CTPT operator before she said her next instructions.

"Crush them."

"Yes, ma'am!" The CTPT teams assembled before they stacked up near the mouth of the tunnel. Flashbangs were then tossed inside the tunnel to disorient anyone, friendly or hostile, before the CTPT teams got inside and began to open fire at anyone hostile.

"Come on, Reese!" Hex shouldered her M4 and opened fire at hostile gunmen inside the Salang Tunnel. She turned the flashlight on her tactical flashlight foregrip to light up the way.

"Right behind you, Hex!" Reese fired his M4 at semi-automatic, hitting a gunmen trying to switch cover from one abandoned car to another.

"Allahu Akba-!" A gunman was about to hurl a Norinco Type 59 and take off the safety pin when Hex fired at him. The gunman accidentally dropped the grenade after being shot while being able to remove the safety pin.

"Down!" Reese shouted at the CTPT operators. They obeyed instructions and ceased fire when the Type 59 exploded, killing a fair number of gunmen at the other side of Salang Tunnel. Some of the abandoned cars were damaged thanks to the Chinese-made frag grenade, which was different from the Russian-made RGD-5 due to the amount of fragments since the Type 59 has a heavier body.

"We shouldn't worry about a lot of opposition now!" Reese told Hex after he heard the grenade explosion go off.

"Advance!" Hex shouted, ordering the CTPT operators to resume fire and advance. She advanced with Reese, keeping low and firing their M4s when needed.

Another gunman was about to reload his AKM by standing up next to an abandoned sedan when a couple of CTPT operators, who had a mix of ACUs and softshell clothing, opened fire with Colt M4A1s outfitted with tactical foregrips and red dot scopes.

The CTPT operators continued to advance further, taking out several gunmen alongside Hex and Reese.

**"We've spotted what appears to be a Ford Ranger pick-up truck with a few gunmen getting inside." **

Hex frowned at a radio transmission she got from a CTPT operator on the last remaining gunmen trying to flee while conducting suppression fire.

"Let's go after it!" Reese suggested to Hex.

Hex nodded and started to run towards the end of the Salang Tunnel. She later caught sight of a Ford Ranger, which had a red color. The SAD operator saw that a gunman had just boarded the pick-up when one of them started to open fire.

"Damn it!" Hex got prone and continued to empty her M4 at the truck. So far, she struck the vehicle with a bullet holes and broken glass.

Reese assisted Hex by picking up an unused Type 59 and hurled it at the fleeing truck after remembering to take off the safety pin. He watched the primed grenade land near the truck and explode. This forced the truck to crash onto a ditch after rolling over a few times.

"Come on!" Reese began to run after the truck. Hex joined up with Reese and ran after the crashed truck.

The two SAD operators saw one of the dazed gunmen escape from the crashed Ford Ranger and was about to shoot his Tokarev TT-33 when Hex took the initiative by shooting at him, emptying the few remaining bullets from her M4.

"Got you." Hex murmured as she and Reese prepared to check the Ranger. While they were visually inspecting the interior, Hex reached inside to secure a folder from the floor.

"What is it?" Reese said after he was done talking to a CTPT operator.

"Found this." Hex showed the folder to Reese.

"Let me see." Reese frowned when he began to inspect the contents of the folder. "I got something Hex."

Reese showed Hex plans for an attack on Kabul ranging from the American Embassy to several government buildings, including headquarters of the NDS. The map also outlined attacks on other diplomatic buildings and where the attacks will take place from.

"I don't like this." Hex told Reese after seeing the map. "Looks like the Taliban might be starting another attack at the Afghan capital."

"Question is what time they'll launch their all-out assault at the capital and whether they'll be able to pass by the Ring of Fire manned by the police?" Reese told Hex his thoughts.

"I'll go and radio this in." Hex said before she got in on the radio.

Reese called for a CTPT operator to see him.

"Yes, sir?" This CTPT operator had a balaclava and wore black softshell clothing and Adidas tactical boots. He was armed with an AKS-47 assault rifle as his primary weapon.

"Radio for support and tell them to get a helicopter ready at once. We're heading to Kabul to warn the proper authorities."

"Understood." The AKS-47-armed CTPT operator gestured to his colleague for a radio. A manpack radio was given to the operator, who reached for the handset and began to request for a helicopter at Parwan at once.

* * *

September 13, 2011

9:59 AM

Bagram Air Base, Bagram, Parwan, Afghanistan

* * *

Hex, Reese and most of the CTPT operators who traveled with them from Salang to Bagram had been able to resupply their ammunition for their weapons while being able to pass on with the intelligence that they were able to obtain. The CIA and the NDS has concluded that the presence of the gunmen in Salang was possibly a distraction to get the attention of ISAF and Afghan forces away from Kabul. Although Reese had wanted to go to Kabul, he and Hex had been given new orders to be diverted to Bagram to pass the intel to CIA officers stationed at the base. And since they were there, Hex and Reese decided to get some bullets in order to be resupplied at once.

"Hex, we've got a Black Hawk ready to take us to Kabul for a deployment." Reese said after he saw Hex load a fresh magazine onto her M4, waiting inside the main building lobby of the base.

"Does the CIA know if the intelligence we obtained in Salang is genuine?" Hex asked her SAD colleague.

Reese nodded. "They seem to think so. Agency's trying to get the CTPT to make contact with locals to see if they got any idea."

"Anything so far?"

"None yet. They're still working on it. President Karzai's been warned of a possible attack. He, in turn, informed everyone in the Afghan security forces of the matter."

"I just hope that it's a false alarm anyway."

"Me too, Hex. Me too."

A CTPT operator in civilian clothes ran up to see Hex and Reese.

"I have some news."

"Let's hear it." Hex told the CTPT operator.

The operator nodded and told Hex. "We've been ordered for a deployment to Kabul ASAP."

This new stunned both SAD operators.

"T... that's great." Reese said, feeling relieved that they can go to Kabul and stop the threat. "Who gave the order?"

"The Agency, sir."

"Alright, we can move out then." Hex said as she adjusted the sling of her M4.

"This way." The CTPT operator escorted the two towards the outside where a couple of MH-60M Black Hawks were awaiting them with the rotors in operation.

"All abroad!" The pilot of the first MH-60M said when Hex and Reese started to get inside.

"How long can we get to Kabul?" Hex asked the pilot after getting to her seat.

"We should be there in an hour or less than that." The pilot informed Hex. "As long as turbulence doesn't start to bother us pilots."

Reese started to get to his seat with at least four CTPT operators getting inside.

"As soon as you guys are comfy," The co-pilot spoke to Hex and Reese. "get the door closed at once and I'll start to get the bird off and the ground and proceed to Kabul."

"Please do." Reese told the co-pilot. One of the CTPT operators proceeded to close the cabin door after being the last to get inside.

"You got it." The co-pilot gave a thumbs up before the MH-60Ms proceeded to take off from Bagram as they began to move towards the direction of Kabul.

Hex and Reese hope that they can stop the Taliban from attacking the capital.

* * *

September 13, 2011

11:03 AM

Airspace over Kabul City, Kabul, Afghanistan

* * *

The MH-60Ms had just arrived in Kabul City airspace when the pilots witnessed some RPG rockets fly towards them.

"Hang onto your seats! Incoming RPG rockets!" The pilots shouted.

"Put on your seat belts!" The co-pilot gave the passengers their instructions.

Hex, Reese and the four CTPT operators proceeded to wear their seat belt as the MH-60M began to conduct maneuvers to avoid getting hit by one of the RPG rockets meant for the cockpit.

"Dammit. We're too late." Reese murmured, banging his clenched fist on his seat.

The MH-60M was able to maneuver successfully that they were able to avoid being hit.

"Where did that RPG come from?"

"I don't know, but I'm getting a transmission from the Afghan Air Force that they're launching their gunships right now."

"Set us down in a safe spot!" Reese told the pilot.

"Understood!"

* * *

September 13, 2011

11:07 AM

Kabul City, Kabul, Afghanistan

* * *

After a few minutes of evading a few more RPG rockets meant for MH-60Ms, the choppers began to hover over the rooftop of a deserted three-story building. Hex, Reese and the four CTPT operators were able to jump down safely.

"We gotta go! If we linger any longer, we could get hit by those RPG rockets and start another Black Hawk Down incident or something like that!" The co-pilot informed Hex and Reese after they all disembarked from the chopper.

"Okay! Get out of here now!" Hex shouted at the co-pilot.

"See you on the other side!" The co-pilot saluted Hex before the MH-60M started to move out of Kabul City airspace.

"Move out." Reese informed the CTPT operators who accompanied them. They proceeded to use the nearby fire escape staircase to head down to the street level, where they would make contact with the other four-man CTPT team that landed in another area of Kabul.

"Who do we liaise with once we're in the streets?" The CTPT operator who spoke to Hex and Reese back at Bagram asked, already preparing to use his AKS-47.

"As usual, we'll liaise with your colleagues and friendlies with ISAF and Afghan forces. I heard that NDS is deploying their own forces to back them up." Reese gave his answer.

"Yes, sir."

While the group could hear a massive amount of gunfire with the occasional RPG rocket launch, they were safe from any attack until they got to the street level.

Hex pointed to Reese that the second group of CTPT operators were now running towards them, going across the now deserted streets of Kabul while ducking low to avoid getting by a stray bullet.

"What is the plan?" A CTPT operator, who is decked in ACU camos, but wore a black tactical vest with a balaclava worn to cover his entire head except nose, asked Hex and Reese. He was armed with an AK-47 assault rifle.

"Word is that the first wave of the attack will target the American embassy." Hex said while crouching down. "Let's move there and keep your head down. We need to meet up with friendlies. From there, we'll launch a counter-attack against Taliban forces."

"Hope you guys understand what we're going to do next." Reese spoke to the CTPT operators after Hex gave the instructions.

The CTPT operators nodded without any objection.

Chapter 2 END

* * *

PS - First of all, hope you like the COD MW-style timestamps. Thought I'd use it for this fic for starters, although the ones in my other two fics will stay the same for sake of consistency.

Also, just had my birthday on the 19th. So I'm a year older.

Right now, it's still Reese from **Person of Interest**. More crossovered stuff will come in the next chapter. Next up is to finish another chapter of "Peacekeepers" before I get back to "Hostage Rescue". Or another chapter of "The Stories". We'll see.

In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the chapter so far. Don't forget to review once you're done reading the chapter. Let me know what you know. Or if I did something wrong since it's not like the SAD openly tells the world what they do except from what we do like if we go to Wikipedia.


	3. In Action

Jormungand: The Stories

By: Ominae

NOTE:

All characters/organizations of Jormungand are under the copyright of Keitaro Takahashi and WHITE FOX. Depending on the crossover used, they are used under the copyright of their respective creators. Anything else belongs to me.

SPOILER:

Do note that most of the stuff here is based on the manga/anime that you may not have seen yet. If this applies to you and you think you could be spoiled, back away from this for now and come back later. Same thing with the crossover stuff.

Summary:

A variety of stories set in the Jormungand world crossed over with various franchises/series from various medias in exploring various scenarios and topics. This focuses on various characters/organizations in the Jormungand world and their relations to the crossed franchise/series and vice versa as a part of the story, depending on the circumstances at hand. Crossover with many franchises/series.

Chapter 3: In Action

* * *

September 13, 2011

12:29 PM

Kabul City, Kabul, Afghanistan

* * *

Reese, Hex and the four CTPT operators moved in towards the direction of the American Embassy, which was secured by both US Marines and Afghan National Police officers. They would later see Afghan National Army soldiers running down the street in front of the embassy with gunshots heard nearby.

"We're with the CIA!" Hex shouted to the Marines when they initially raised their Colt M16A4 assault rifles at her. "Don't shoot!" The armed Afghan officers raised their AK rifles at Hex and the others.

"What's the CIA doing in Kabul City anyway?" A Marine of East Asian origin asked, confused to their presence. He gestured to the others to lower their weapons since they weren't a threat.

"We're pursuing a couple of terror suspects we need to capture alive." Reese began to explain to the confused marine. "And word we got is that they are in the city, helping the Haqqani Network."

The marine nodded, understanding the situation. "Embassy is secure so far. All local and American staff, including the Ambassador and his secretary, aren't wounded or killed in the initial attack."

"What about ISAF Headquarters?"

"Word we got from our comms is that some of them were injured in the attack. Right now, Afghan commandos are trying to repel an attack by armed militants at Darulaman Road."

"Anything else?" Hex was the next to throw in the question.

"We're getting some help from a Voskhod 6 unit or two that stopped their training of Afghan National Civil Order Police an hour ago after the first wave of attacks came in." The marine sighed and continued, "We're getting word that a National Security Service team is also moving in to assist ISAF forces alongside ASE's own forces."

_The Almighty Support Enterprises? What are they doing that? That's tantamount to PMC work! _Reese had been a bit familiar with ASE, having worked with them secretly when he was deployed in Iraq after the downfall of the Saddam Hussein regime in the early 2000s to hunt down potential WMD weapons/manufacturing facilities with little success.

"We're getting reinforcements!" An AKM-armed and uniformed Afghan National Police officer spoke in English with a bit of an accent, pointing to the approaching convoy.

"What is it?" Reese asked Hex when the latter stared at the incoming convoy, the first half led by three Bin Jabr Nimr II 4x4 High Mobility Tactical Vehicles in desert yellow camo with the insignia of Voshkod 6 made visible on both sides of the vehicles. The other half consisted of three Renault Sherpa Light 4x4 Armored Personnel Carriers with the same desert yellow camo. The former were armed with Rheinmetall-made Nanuk Remote Weapon Stations (RWS) outfitted with Singapore Technologies Kinetics CIS 50 heavy machine guns. But for the latter, they were armed with Panhard-made WASP Remote Weapon Stations outfitted with S&T Daewoo K3 light machine guns.

"Looks like our backup's arrived." Hex told Reese when the first Nimr II HMTV came to a stop in front of the American embassy's main entrance, which led to the rest of the convoy stopping as well.

A Voskhod 6 operator came out of the leading Nimr II HMTV's front passenger door to see Reese, Hex and their CTPT team. Reese and Hex then noted that the man was armed with a Heckler & Koch 417 Recon model assault rifle outfitted with an EOTech MPO III sight/magnifier holographic weapon sight mounted on the top picatinny railing. A Surefire M900A Vertical Foregrip Weaponlight was also seen attached on the assault rifle's bottom picatinny railing. In addition, he wore Bulgarian 3-color desert camo BDU for his uniform with velcro hooks sewn on with patches placed on top of them, which was the same uniform used by Bulgarian troops sent to Iraq on peacekeeping operations. The same camo pattern was also seen in the operator's tac vest, tac gloves, drop leg holster and helmet cover for his issued Grupo Inbra Filtro Army Combat Ballistic Helmet. 3-color desert elbow and kneepads were also worn over the BDU.

"It appears you're the CIA agents ISAF HQ told us about." The Voskhod 6 operator said, his face completely concealed by a black balaclava. The two SAD operators noted that the operator spoke English fluently without any hint of an Eastern European accent. "And we were in time too to see the embassy secured."

"You're with Voshkod 6?" Hex approached the armed Voskhod 6 operator alongside Reese and the CTPT operators with them. She observed the man's uniform and saw velcro loops sewn onto the BDU with Voskhod 6 and Ministry of Home Affairs patches placed on them via velcro hooks, indicating his affiliation with the MHA's elite anti-crime/terrorist unit. The patches had Voskhod 6 and the MHA written in English, Russian, Dari and Pashto.

"That's right. We're deployed right now to control the current situation alongside the South Korean National Security Service."

_The NSS?_

The National Security Service is a South Korean domestic black ops intelligence agency created in 1976 with rumors of a covert nuclear weapons program Seoul was trying to develop before pressure from the West forced them to disband it, which forced the South Korean government to reorganize it as an anti-terrorist intelligence agency. The NSS has been at the front of a terrorist attempt by an underground war profiteering terrorist group called IRIS, which was the agency's most serious case to date.

NSS worked subsequently (although done secretly for operational reasons) alongside its sister domestic intelligence agency called the National Anti-Terror Service to take on an energy hoarding terrorist group called Athena. In both cases, the two terrorist groups called for the destruction of Seoul in order to start up another Korean War in order to make profits from the said war in Eastern Asia.

It was only after the downfall of IRIS and Athena's terrorist attempts on South Korea back in 2009 that NTS was fully integrated into NSS with most of its assets and personnel transferred to reduce the number of agencies that can conduct the same tasks. The reorganization was done with official orders coming from the South Korean president.

"Why's the NSS involved in Afghanistan?" Reese asked the Voshkod 6 operator. "The last time I heard, they got into major anti-terror operations in Seoul against IRIS and Athena from a couple of years ago."

"You'll have to ask them for that. I have no idea." The Voshkod 6 operator replied, who simply shrugged his shoulders. "One of the NSS vehicles at the convoy should have some space for you and your team to use."

"Thank you." Hex told the Voshkod 6 operator. "Which one though?"

Hex and Reese got their answer when a balaclava-clad NSS Special Response Team stepped out of the leading Sherpa Light APC's front passenger door. The SRT operator was armed with a S&T Daewoo K2C assault rifle outfitted with an ITL MARS reflex sight on the top picatinny railing. A Crimson Trace VF-302 Vertical Foregrip was attached on the bottom picatinny railing. The SRT operator wore Canadian-made Hyperstealth Spec4ce Afghan Sierra pattern BDU for his uniform, which is the same camo being issued of officers of the Afghan National Police's Afghan National Civil Order Police unit without any velcro hooks on to give the unit a form of anonymity. This also included the same pattern for his tac vest, tac gloves, drop leg holster and helmet cover for his issued low-cut ArmorSource Modular Integrated Communications Helmet. Spec4ce Afghan Sierra pattern elbow and kneepads were also worn over the BDU.

"I am." The masked NSS SRT operator spoke up to Hex. "You must be the CIA SAD agents we've been debriefed about?"

The sound of an explosion and gunfire were heard for a few minutes after the South Korean threw his question to Hex.

"That's right. It's a long story though..."

"Do not worry. Both us and Voskhod 6 were debriefed after gunfire was reported early in the morning."

The masked operator subsequently showed Reese, Hex and the four CTPT operators to another Sherpa Light APC, which was located at the rear of the joint Voskhod 6-NSS convoy. The doors of the Sherpa Light APC, except for the front driver and passenger doors, opened up to let the team inside.

"Let's move." Hex said as she got in the rear right passenger door. Reese and the four CTPT operators went towards the rear of the vehicle.

* * *

September 13, 2011

12:45 PM

Inside NSS Renault Sherpa Light Armored Personnel Carrier, Kabul City, Kabul, Afghanistan

* * *

"You must be the agents from the CIA's SAD."

Hex was greeted when she got inside the Sherpa Light APC by an East Asian woman, who had black shoulder-length hair with some bits of brown hair in the mix, inside the vehicle's interior. The SAD agent figured that she was South Korean, especially since she was speaking it to one of the masked NSS SRT operators in the driver's seat. Hex also saw that she was dressed up in the same Spec4ce Afghan Sierra pattern BDU and tac gear. The only thing that she lacks is that she has not balaclava to conceal her identity. In addition, she was also armed with a different assault rifle, which in this was a Heckler & Koch G36K with picatinny railings on the upper receiver for a mounted EOTech holographic weapon sight and a 2-Round Burst Trigger group.

"I am." Hex nodded when she got in and closed the rear right passenger door. "I will assume that you're with the NSS?" _Looks like she's good with her English. Given her position with NSS._

"Allow me to introduce myself, then." The South Korean woman proceeded to introduce herself to Hex. "I'm Special Agent Ji Soo-yeon of the National Security Service."

"Ah, the Olympic pistol shooter back in the Olympics." Hex nodded after hearing Ji's name, being familiar with her pistol shooting experience. "I'm Hex and the man with me is John Reese."

"A pleasure to meet you." Reese was courteous to greet Soo-yeon from the rear of the APC, nodding his head at her after the ex-Green Beret commando smiled at her.

The Sherpa Light APC drove off after the CTPT operators got inside, following the other armored vehicles ahead of it as the convoy drove off away from the main entrance of the American Embassy.

"So mind if I can ask why the NSS is involved in this operation alongside Voskhod 6?" Hex asked Soo-yeon while the latter secured a tactical headset for her to wear. "If I recall, NSS was involved in domestic anti-terror operations against IRIS and gave support to NTS against Athena."

"We're unofficially here to advise the Afghan government on helping them create a better foundation for the National Directorate of Security after its establishment in 2002." Soo-yeon explained to Hex the "reason" why the NSS is secretly deployed in Afghanistan.

"Ma'am!" The SRT operator driving the vehicle called for Soo-yeon. "We're getting an incoming transmission!"

The other SRT operator in the front passenger seat gave a thumbs up after he checked his personal radio via earpiece that ISAF HQ was broadcasting a message to all NATO/non-NATO friendly forces in the Greater Kabul Area.

"Alright." Soo-yeon nodded when the radio continued to transmit its message via radio. "Increase the volume."

"Understood."

The volume was increased, which made the message a bit more clearer. **"Attention to all NATO and Afghan friendly forces, ISAF HQ is under siege right now. I repeat, ISAF HQ is under siege. Heavily armed gunmen have been trying to break inside. It's only a matter of time before they're able to break inside. Reports are suggesting that the Haqqani Network..."**

"We have a new destination..." Hex nodded as she prepared her Colt M4 for combat.

"Step on it." Soo-yeon told the SRT operator driving the Sherpa Light APC.

* * *

September 13, 2011

12:29 PM

Kabul City, Kabul, Afghanistan

* * *

The joint Voskhod 6-NSS convoy arrived near the outskirts of ISAF HQ, which is under siege by armed gunmen wielding a combination of IZHMASH AKMs and Norinco Type 56s. Afghan police have held off the attack, providing a cordon to prevent the gunmen from advancing further into the city with American and Afghan soldiers blocking the gunmen's advance from getting inside ISAF HQ.

"Looks like the gunmen are being held off at both sides." Reese commented when he got out of the Sherpa Light APC, already having his M4 shouldered. The SAD operator saw that the gunmen were using abandoned vehicles for cover since the attempt to barge into ISAF HQ was foiled by alert security forces after the attack started in the morning. Since they were using them as cover, it meant that they're already being driven into a corner with no way out.

"Good thing you guys made it!"

An East Asian man approached the parked convoy with the same Spec4ce Afghan Sierra pattern BDU and tac gear, which made it clear that he was affiliated with the NSS in some capacity.

"We've gotten word from ISAF HQ that it's under siege." Soo-yeon told the man, armed with the same G36K like her.

"I'm Special Agent Seo Hyun-woo of the National Security Service." Hyun-woo introduced himself. "We're among the few friendlies sent here to reinforce American and Afghan soldiers to prevent an attack on ISAF HQ."

"Any other NATO forces around?" Reese asked the G36K-armed man.

"They're deployed to reinforce the outskirts of Kabul. Word we got is to expect armed reinforcements in 10 minutes since they're busy clearing off the streets of armed gunmen."

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go and kill them." Hex told the CTPT operators after she shouldered her M4, already firing it at the armed gunmen while the CTPT operators backed her up by firing their AK rifles to conduct suppressive fire.

Armed Voskhod 6 and NSS SRT teams assisted the SAD team by advancing towards the gunmen from another angle in an attempt to box them in. They fired on the gunmen several times in an effort to kill them. Soo-yeon and Hyun-woo were seen firing their shouldered G36Ks by using the abandoned vehicles for protection.

A CTPT operator was shot in the chest multiple times by gunfire coming from an AKM while trying to take cover behind an abandoned van.

"Get him out of here!" Reese ordered a CTPT operator to drag the corpse away while he aimed the M4 via red dot sight to take down the offending gunmen. The Iraq War veteran fired the assault rife several times via full auto mode while he crouched behind a Toyota-made pickup and leaned on the side to avoid being exposed to gunfire. He worked with Hex in suppressing the enemy group, moving in closer and closer by crouching and using the abandoned vehicles for cover.

Hex provided suppressive fire with her M4 to ensure that the Voskhod 6 and NSS teams got in close to waste the remaining gunmen. Thanks to that, their luck changed for the better to their advantage. Several of the gunmen were shot at from the rear when they tried to make a break for it since the attack on ISAF HQ was falling apart.

Another CTPT operator was shot in the left leg by a couple of 7.62 Soviet bullets before the last gunman was shot by Hex and Reese. The former shouted at the two remaining CTPT operator to pull the wounded man of the way.

"AAAAHHHH!" Hex shouted when she fired her M4 to support Reese before he crouched behind a Nissan sedan to reload. Reese moved in to cover Hex while she reloaded her weapon. A few minutes, the last of the AK-armed gunmen were taken down after being shot by Reese and a few of the armed Voskhod 6/NSS SRT operators.

"All clear!" An American soldier shouted after the last gunman dropped dead, which made all American, Afghan and other friendly forces lower their weapons. Afghan police then fanned out to secure the cordon near ISAF HQ and check the dead corpses while gunfire was still heard from the direction of Abdul Haq Square.

"We've got this area secured, sir!" Another American soldier ran up to inform Hex and Reese as American and Afghan soldiers prepared to secure the cordon near ISAF HQ.

"We need to move." Hex told Reese after she made a brass check on her M4. She and Reese gestured to the Voskhod 6/NSS SRT teams to move out and clear the city out of armed hostiles. "I'm still hearing gunfire coming from the square!"

Reese nodded in agreement as he signaled to the two remaining CTPT operators to get back to the convoy.

* * *

September 13, 2011

12:32 PM

International Security Assistance Force Headquarters, Kabul City, Kabul, Afghanistan

* * *

Various NATO soldiers began to run around ISAF HQ after it was attacked by armed gunmen, the majority of them heading towards the main entrance in order to reinforce the area and protect it from another potential attack.

"What's happening here?"

A Caucasian man in his 60s with the rank of Lieutenant General wore American Army-issued ACUs with a black beret and a revolver shoulder holster, which holstered a .44 Magnum revolver.

"General Shepherd!"

Lieutenant Hershel von Shepherd III asked an American soldier who was busy tending to someone after he accidentally tripped while running to assist in the battle.

"How's he doing, son?"

"Good, sir. He tripped by mistake when gunmen opened fire at ISAF HQ. Good thing that a friendly convoy was in the area to reinforce us."

"Do we know who it is?"

"Intel we're getting from NDS is suggesting armed gunmen from the Haqqani Network at large. As we speak, the Afghan military is still clearing out much of the downtown core. Our embassy's secured as well."

"Dammit. Just when we've got the situation stabilized in Kabul."

* * *

September 13, 2011

1:14 PM

Kabul City, Kabul, Afghanistan

* * *

The joint Voskhod 6-NSS convoy drove off from the outskirts of ISAF HQ towards the capital's Wazir Akbar Khān area. On the way there, they stopped near a temporary Ministry of Health refugee shelter to provide some protection after dropping off the wounded CTPT operators at ISAF HQ after receiving a request for assistance.

"How much longer now?" Hex murmured, taking cover behind the parked Nimr II HMTV as its mounted RWS fired back at a street corner where gunfire was reported to be coming from.

"Patient, Hex." Reese said when he took cover with Hex. The dismounted Voskhod 6 and NSS SRT operators also took cover behind their respective armored vehicles, allowing their comrades inside them to fire their RWS back in order to provide suppressive fire.

Voskhod 6 and NSS SRT operators joined in and responded back with gunfire, killing one of the AKM-armed gunmen with the others running off.

"Cowards." Hex gritted her teeth when she saw the other armed gunmen run away.

* * *

September 13, 2011

2:22 PM

International Security Assistance Force Headquarters, Kabul City, Kabul, Afghanistan

* * *

General Shepherd had entered the command center of ISAF's HQ when an American soldier approached him.

"Sir!" The soldier greeted Shepherd with a salute.

"How are things doing?" Shepherd asked after he returned the salute.

"Sporadic gunfire is still going on with the occasional RPG attack. We're getting more concrete evidence that most of the attack's coming from the Wazir Akbar Khān area."

The general was shown an overhead map of the Greater Kabul Area with a red dot to indicate the location of the Wazir Akbar Khān area.

"That's where most of the diplomatic facilities are, including the Arg."

"Gunships are in the air right now. We're expecting Afghan gunships to join in to secure the airspace and provide recon."

* * *

September 13, 2011

2:40 PM

Airspace above Kabul City, Kabul, Afghanistan

* * *

A couple of ISAF-deployed Boeing AH-64 Apache helicopter gunships were in the air over Kabul City, providing much aerial support to NATO/non-NATO friendly forces as they took on the Haqqani Network, clearing it block and block.

A few minutes later, an Afghan Air Force Mil Mi-35 flew in to join the AH-64s. The three helicopter gunships were deployed to provide aerial support by attacking a suspected Haqqani Network location, which was a high-rise building near the Wazir Akbar Khān area.

The pilots only hoped that their presence could turn the tide of the battle to their side. As they made their approach, a RPG rocket was fired towards the first AH-64.

It dodged out of the way in time, allowing the rocket to fly by it.

* * *

September 13, 2011

3:10 PM

Kabul City, Kabul, Afghanistan

* * *

The joint Voskhod 6-NSS convoy made its approach towards the Wazir Akbar Khān area, narrowly avoiding a RPG ambush when the mounted RWS opened fire after being informed by ISAF HQ to expect RPG rocket attacks.

Eventually, the convoy arrived at the suspected high-rise building with the gunships firing at the building to keep the gunmen occupied as armed Afghan ANCOP officers were being held off by the gunmen from the high-rise building via GPMG suppressive fire. Some of the bullets struck the Nimr II HMTV and Sherpa Light APCs, its armor shrugging off the Soviet 7.62 bullets since the armor was made to withstand them.

"Move out! Move out!"

Hex shouted as she was the first to dismount, moving into a crouching position since gunfire was still being heard from the high-rise building and that the gunships were now attempting to make another pass so that their comrades on the ground can enter the building without the trouble of being shot at.

"You ready, Hex?" Reese moved in next to her with his M4 already shouldered.

"Is that a trick question?" Hex raised an eyebrow as Soo-yeon and Hyun-woo directed NSS SRT teams to move in as soon as the gunships are able to provide suppressive fire again.

* * *

September 13, 2011

3:35 PM

International Security Assistance Force Headquarters, Kabul City, Kabul, Afghanistan

* * *

General Shepherd had just returned back to ISAF HQ's command center after he was told that he's in charge of overseeing operations with the command center, coordinating Afghan, NATO and non-NATO forces throughout the Greater Kabul Area.

"General! I got information that Voskhod 6 and the National Security Service's Special Response Team are already in the Wazir Akbar Khān neighborhood."

"Good." Shepherd nodded, arms folded in front of his chest. "Have the gunships ready to move in and provide cover fire for them on the ground."

"Understood, general."

"Also, see if you can check with the US Embassy and see if there are other attacks reported towards it or with the other embassies."

"Yes, sir!"

* * *

September 13, 2011

3:44 PM

Airspace above Kabul City, Kabul, Afghanistan

* * *

The AH-64s and the Mi-35 gunships made their approach onto the high-rise building after the pilots received their orders to rake it with gunfire. When they looked around, they saw that the Wazir Akbar Khān neighborhood was still a warzone with flashes of light coming from the building. It indicated that the gunmen were still being held up inside and were driving off Afghan/NATO/Non-NATO forces from storming the building.

**"Light 'em up! Light 'em up!" **The gunner of the first AH-64 informed the other two gunships as he aimed the mounted M230 chaingun at the building, sending the gunmen off by fleeing from the incoming barrage of bullets.

Things were slowly beginning to look good for the guys on the ground.

* * *

September 13, 2011

4:05 PM

Kabul City, Kabul, Afghanistan

* * *

Hex and Reese gestured to the others that the gunships were now providing them with suppressive fire, which was more than enough for them since it gave them the opportunity to get in the building and clear it by floor.

ANCOP officers began to make a run for it, being lucky that the gunmen were currently being occupied by the gunships as they were being harassed. With the main entrance now secured, Voskhod 6 teams ran inside with NSS SRT teams following behind. A small ANCOP team followed the former in order to help in securing the cleared floors in case of booby traps, as well as to secure weapon and ammo caches in the building.

The two SAD operators were the first to sweep the first floor, only stopping to fire their M4s at a couple of Type 56-armed gunmen that tried to attack them by being out in the open.

They paid with their lives when they were shot multiple times before they collapsed onto the ground.

* * *

September 13, 2011

4:30 PM

International Security Assistance Force Headquarters, Kabul City, Kabul, Afghanistan

* * *

"Looks like ANCOP teams are assisting NSS and Voskhod 6 teams in clearing the building." A soldier informed Shepherd of the progress while he monitored his console for any changes.

"Good work." Shepherd nodded. "What about Task Force 141?"

"I've received word from Captain Price that he's being up at Abdul Haq Square with Lieutenant Riley and Sergeant Sanderson."

Shepherd sighed. He knew that he had no choice, but to unleash his trump card.

"Get Shadow Company deployed ASAP at Wazir Akbar Khān."

"Understood, general."

* * *

September 13, 2011

5:05 PM

Kabul City, Kabul, Afghanistan

* * *

After an hour of being held up by gunmen on the first floor, Hex and Reese took the initiative to counter the attack by charging the staircase and firing their M4s, scaring the gunmen and making them fall back. A few of them were gunned down while they fled.

A few NSS SRT operators were armed with Israeli and South Korean-made Cornershots, outfitted with Glock 17s that had suppressors and 33-round high capacity magazines. Using these special weapons, they were able to bring the offense to the enemy. As these Cornershots were fired from around corners and from behind objects, the gunmen didn't have any time to either hide or launch an attack.

Other NSS SRT operators fired their Daewoo K2C assault rifles to cover their comrades and to back up Hex, Reese and the other two CTPT operators.

Flashbangs and smoke grenades were hurled around the second floor, stunning the armed gunmen in order to give armed Voskhod 6 and NSS SRT operators the chance to gun them down while they're still confused.

"Move up! Move up!" Reese shouted as he began to ascend the staircase towards the third floor. They got ten more floors to search and clear before the day comes to an end.

A few Voskhod 6 operators fired their suppressed HK 417 Recon assault rifles, moving in from the side in order to flank the armed gunmen and ambush them.

* * *

September 13, 2011

5:11 PM

Airspace above Kabul City, Kabul, Afghanistan

* * *

Four Sikorsky UH-60Ms were in the air above Kabul City, two of them already flying Abdul Haq Square to reinforce TF141 commandos with the other two heading towards Wazir Akbar Khān.

When the UH-60Ms arrived at the neighborhood, they hovered over the high-rise building before rappelling ropes were lowered.

"You heard the general!" A Shadow Company soldier with digital desert camo BDUs and tac gear, including MICH combat helmet and ballistic goggles with balaclava, shouted at the other armed soldiers inside the cabin. They were all armed with Remington ACRs, outfitted with red dot scopes and 14.5" barrels. "We need to move in, secure the building and assist the friendlies inside! Everyone with a gun who tries to shoot at us are considered expendable, understood?!"

"Yes, sir!" All of the ACR-armed Shadow Company soldiers replied before they rappelled out of the choppers. Once they landed, a four-man team moved in to converge to the entrance that led to the staircase going down. They stacked up and tossed in flashbangs into the stairs. A few minutes after they blew up, Shadow Company soldiers shouldered their ACRs and aimed the red dot scope down the stairs.

When they caught of a blinded gunman who had fired his AK-47 at the ceiling due to his semi-blinded eyes, the soldiers opened fire and killed him. A couple of Shadow Company soldiers moved down the staircase to the thirteenth floor, using the buttstocks of their assault rifles to take down a couple of gunmen since they weren't trying to fight back due to the flashbangs.

Another Shadow Company soldier kicked an armed gunman, who stood too close to the open edge, when the former moved very close that an assault rifle was not viable for close quarters. The masked soldier watched the gunman fall down from the floor to his death when his body landed on the ground.

* * *

September 13, 2011

5:34 PM

International Security Assistance Force Headquarters, Kabul City, Kabul, Afghanistan

* * *

"How's the progress of Shadow Company?" Shepherd was now asking for an update.

"Doing good, general. They should be able to trap the Haqqani Network gunmen in a pincer maneuver."

"And TF141?"

"They're already receiving help from Shadow Company. I'm getting word that Afghan Army soldiers are also moving in to assist them in securing Abdul Haq Square."

"Finally, things are moving to our advantage."

"What about the two HVTs the CIA told us about?"

"Well if they were killed in the shootout, then there is nothing we can do about it."

* * *

September 13, 2011

5:50 PM

Kabul City, Kabul, Afghanistan

* * *

Voskhod 6 and NSS SRT operators were now converging with Shadow Company forces at the sixth floor with the number of hostiles already dropping exponentially. Fom both sides, the losses were getting to the Haqqani Network that they tried to get desperate such as the aborted use of suicide bombings because they were shot at the chest several times without second thought prior to the detonation of the suicide vests.

Hex encountered a knife-armed gunman, who tried to stab at her chest. She responded by kicking him in the leg before an elbow strike was executed. She then brought out her holstered Glock 17 and fired it several times at the man's chest, not stopping until he dropped dead literally. During the fight, Hex allowed the M4's sling to do its work since it was slinged at her right shoulder.

Reese dodge a knife slash meant for his head by ducking down after nearly being attacked from the side. This followed by a punch at the face, which stunned the gunman. This was followed by a roundhouse kick. Afterwards, a couple of Voshkod 6 operators restrained the downed man and used plasticuffs on his wrists.

Soo-yeon used her taekwondo kicks to take down an armed gunman who tried to restrain her from the back. Hyun-woo assisted her by grabbing the gunman from the back, breaking his neck in one stroke. They joined in with their NSS SRT colleagues to take down the last of the armed Haqqani Network forces.

Shadow Company soldiers finally came down on the sixth floor, firing on all the armed gunmen that tried to run away while they fired their assault rifles.

It also included two East Asian men with beards as they fired their AKMs at Shadow Company, Voskhod 6 and at the NSS SRT.

They never knew what hit 'em.

* * *

September 13, 2011

6:00 PM

International Security Assistance Force Headquarters, Kabul City, Kabul, Afghanistan

* * *

"Sir! I'm getting reports that the situation at the Wazir Akbar Khān area is getting stable."

Shepherd nodded after he heard the news. "What about the square?"

"Looks like Shadow Company's presence worked to our advantage."

"I see. See if you can contact General Allen right away. I need to update him on the situation."

"Yes, sir."

Shepherd sighed and grabbed his mobile phone from the right pocket of his pants.

**"It's me." **Shepherd said after the other line was picked up. **"Listen, I need something from you..."**

* * *

September 13, 2011

6:17 PM

Kabul City, Kabul, Afghanistan

* * *

Hex approached one of the wounded East Asian men, who had the unfortunate time of having a 5.56 NATO bullet shot at his left leg. She had a grin on her face while she aimed her Glock 17 at him.

"Talk." The SAD agent said calmly with the Austrian-made pistol aimed at his head.

"Go to hell, witch." The wounded man replied, having a bit of a Japanese accent when he uttered his reply in English.

"You're useless." In response, Hex fired her pistol at him. The man then dropped dead.

"AAAhhhh..." The other East Asian man was frightened after he saw his colleague shot in the forehead.

Hex grinned and aimed her sidearm at him. "Not so tough now, are you?"

"Spare me! Please!"

"Forget it... You're not worth taking alive."

Hex was about to pull the trigger of her Glock 17 when Reese placed a hand on her arm.

"Hex, stop it. We have orders to take him alive. And you blew it." Reese calmly told his partner to stop intimidating the HVT.

"You're going to make a mistake, Reese." Hex openly glared at Reese. "Really, you are."

"And I have you reported to command that you're going to botch up a SAD-led operation to take him in alive. Your actions are growing to be very questionable that I'm doubting whether I should have you as my partner."

Hex grudgingly agreed to lower her weapon. A couple of NSS SRT operators restrained the HVT and cuffed him from the back.

"Here, sir." A Voskhod 6 operator showed Reese a couple of dusty passports. Upon examination, they were genuine passports issued by the Japanese and Singaporean origins. "We found these when my team started to examine an arms cache we uncovered."

"Looks like it's confirmed then." Reese looked at the passports for the names of their HVTs. "The Japanese passport says Koji Tatsumi and the Singaporean passport says Chu Kuan Yew." The ex-Green Beret handed the passports back. "Have these secured at once."

"Yes, sir." The Voskhod 6 operator got the passports back and handed them to a colleague in order to have them secured as evidence.

"It's going to be a long day here." Hex looked at the restrained Singaporean Chinese Haqqani Network terror suspect after the two NSS SRT operators brought the restrained man downstairs. Shadow Company soldier and ANCOP officers were busy preparing body bags for the corpses of the dead Haqqani Network gunmen, as well as some of the dead from ANCOP. The casualties, though, were minimal.

The woman looked at the sky as it was getting dark. She could hear the sporadic gunfire coming from parts of the Greater Kabul Area.

But from her area, things are already quiet.

She would take the incident to heart when she is later deployed to Eastern Europe on a SAD-led black op to assassinate Koko Hekmatyar of HCLI.

After all, people like her and the HVTs they were after deserved to die. They didn't deserve to live to be judged and sentenced. As far as Hex knew, they were better off dead.

Chapter 3 END

* * *

PS - First of all, apologies for the late update. Been conducting radiotherapy in combination with a bad stomach from indigestion, laziness and taking a break from doing fanfiction for a few weeks. Hopefully you guys liked this chapter, which concludes the Person of Interest crossover. So yeah, let me know this chapter is when you review later on. Any more suggestions like having minor groups/characters get the limelight for the next chapter, let me know too as well. Hopefully, another update should come pretty soon.

Do note that the events taking place in this chapter is based on the attacks launched by the Haqqani Network on Kabul on September 13, 2011, albeit with some fictional bits of events here and there to give some action and give some background for Hex and her eventual start on her journey to darkness as the main antagonist on the latter part of Jormungand.

Hope you guys enjoyed Voskhod 6's appearance in this chapter since they deserved a chance to be in a good guy role. For V6 patches, I placed in English and Russian 'cause I don't know if the "certain Eastern European country" is suppose to be Ukraine, but they do have Humvees in actual service. Another choice is Belarus, but they got Chinese-made Humvees alongside US-made Humvees in their Afghan deployment. For now, it'll be anonymous with Russian being the language on the V6 patch alongside English. Dari and Pashto are on it for obvious reasons.

BTW, Panhard's full meaning of WASP is "Weapon remotely controlled under armor for self protection". Ain't that a cool remote control weapon system name, huh?

Been reading up on an Assassin's Creed/Fate fanfic lately and I think this particular crossover is a good idea. Only if more people would write fics based on it though. I don't know if I can write up on this, considering I got a couple of major ones to finish and this one is a side project. Although there's another one, but it's not totally AC in terms of story content.

For the various crossovers that show up here, I'll go and break things down one by one. The presence of Lt. Gen. Shepherd, the mention of Task Force 141 and Shadow Company is from the **Call of Duty: Modern Warfare** series. The presence of Ji Soo-yeon and Seo Hyun-woo, as well as the NSS SRT teams with references to the IRIS and Athena terror groups are from the Korean drama shows **IRIS **and **Athena: G****oddess of War**. The mention of the Almighty Support Enterprises is from the manga series **D-Live!**. Aside from that, Reese is still present from **Person of Interest**. General John Allen is mentioned here, albeit in passing since during the attacks at the time, he was the CO of ISAF forces in Afghanistan.

Aside from the NCIS idea, I've been thinking of doing an Appleseed chapter or two with Jonah (a grown up one obviously) and Valmet working together in ESWAT years after the Jormungand system was activated by Koko.

On a side matter, I've been thinking of a Persona 4/Assassin's Creed story with crosses from Soul Hackers and Martin Mystery. Thoughts?


	4. New Beginning

Jormungand: The Stories

By: Ominae

NOTE:

All characters/organizations of Jormungand are under the copyright of Keitaro Takahashi and WHITE FOX. Depending on the crossover used, they are used under the copyright of their respective creators. Anything else belongs to me.

SPOILER:

Do note that most of the stuff here is based on the manga/anime that you may not have seen yet. If this applies to you and you think you could be spoiled, back away from this for now and come back later. Same thing with the crossover stuff.

Summary:

A variety of stories set in the Jormungand world crossed over with various franchises/series from various medias in exploring various scenarios and topics. This focuses on various characters/organizations in the Jormungand world and their relations to the crossed franchise/series and vice versa as a part of the story, depending on the circumstances at hand. Crossover with many franchises/series.

Chapter 4: New Beginning

* * *

Unknown

* * *

The last thing Jonathan "Jonah" Mar remembered was that he was being hunted down by armed gunmen. He was running. And so were his pursuers. And he happened to be in a cave of all places.

_Why did it come to this? Why did it happen? _

After Koko had made the decision to activate Jormungand in Azeri territory, World War III had been unleashed in a matter of days throughout the world from the Americas all the way to Oceania. Jonah still remembered what happened when the war was unleashed.

The most significant among the events of World War III, according to middle 2000s history specialists, was the collapse of the short-lived New USSR back into the Russian Federation and most of the ex-Soviet States after the 1990 dissolution of the original USSR such as Georgia and Tajikistan. The SARs of China had also achieved independence during the war, which resulted in the emergence of the two city states in East Asia. Africa had plunged into civil war with numerous countries fighting to secure basic resources such as water and land. Some of the de facto states such as Azawad, South Ossetia and Transnistria declared its independence, but not without heavy fighting. While a few of them had succeeded in fighting for their independence, others have failed through heavy military might and these forces were simply forced to give up their arms.

Renegade Chinese Communist Party officials and People's Liberation Army military leaders took advantage of the chaos to invade Taiwan in order to secure it as one of its provinces. An American-led multinational force fought back against the invasion with both sides suffering massive casualties due to the Jormungand system, which gave some nations a hard time in ensuring that their logistics systems were secured from hacking and the like.

Most of the first-world countries had suffered economic problems during WWIII with limited nuclear missiles fired at the Americas and Europe. As a result, this created new countries such as Alaska, Hawaii, Quebec, Kosovo and Texas with the United States splitting off into two countries, consisting of the American Empire and the remnants of the United States of America, albeit at its weakest after the war ended.

With the end of the war, all the countries began to rebuild their economies while they decided to band together as a United Nations-recognized task force to hunt down Koko Hektmatyar and eliminate her, as well as to dismantle H&C Logistic Incorporated as the culprit responsible that led to the events of WWIII.

While Floyd and Kaspar willingly surrendered to the task force without much trouble aside from isolated incident where a few high-ranking HCLI officials decided to take their chances and fight them to the death rather than face trial for being the instigator of the war, Koko and her group fought back against the task force and hid themselves somewhere in Eastern Europe in an attempt to regroup. Russian-led special forces units took the initiative in hunting her down and capture or kill her on orders from their commanding officers.

The last thing Jonah had learned from Koko before the attack on their hideout is that the UN plans to conduct an operation in order to destroy the Jormungand satellite from space.

_Dammit! I got split off from Lehm and the others and I don't know if Koko's all right or something..._

"I found the brat! Get him!"

He heard some voices in Russian, which meant that he needed to move again. The white-haired man gripped his Magpul Masada assault rifle, with a sling placed on his neck. Jonah was clad in commercially-made forest digital camo with an olive green combat vest, a green holster strapped on his left leg and generic combat boots bought from an unknown source. When he saw that the way was clear, Jonah moved carefully to avoid being caught in an ambush.

_Where do I go from here?_

The young ex-child soldier found what appeared to a cave opening somewhere. He knew that he wanted to go back and help the others, but Koko gave him explicit orders to survive since it's most likely that she and the others will be separated if most of them were caught or killed by spec ops forces.

"There he is! Get him!"

Jonah was soon confronted by Armenian and Belarusian Army commando teams outside, armed with IZHMASH AK-12 assault rifles that were loaded with Russian 5.45 bullets.

Nearly take by surprise, Jonah rolled onto the ground and hurled a couple of frag grenades, one after another, before he threw a smoke grenade into the mix. The casualties, and the surprise attack, enabled the white-haired man in his late 20s to get away fast and quick.

BAM!

Luck was, however, not on the young man's side.

_What the? Was I... hit somewhere?_

Jonah felt severe pain on his right leg, which was done courtesy of an Azeri Navy special forces sniper hidden from the treetops. He fell down hard on the side and tried to crawl so that he can get away safely. But another shot from the sniper was made. This time, the bullet struck Jonah at his left arm.

"Damn." Jonah grumbled. "'I'm going to bleed out at this rate."

Lying down on the ground, face first, Jonah was slowly loosing conscious when he saw the balaclava-clad faces of armed Russian commandos with their AK-12s aimed at him.

"What do we do with him?" asked one of the Spetsnaz commandos. Jonah could feel that his vision was fading very fast.

"We take him in. He's wanted alive." Another commando before he got on his headset.

"What? Who wants this murderous bastard anyway? He's a known backer of Koko-!"

"Quiet!"

The last thing Jonah remembered before he fainted was that an organization wanted him alive, not alive. He didn't know where it's from, but it's a name that remained in his memory.

"ESWAT wants him alive back at Olympus..."

That was the last comment heard before Jonah fainted. The commandos began to disarm Jonah of his assault rifle while his holster was removed when he closed his eyes. Another commando team then arrived on the scene, already prepared to stabilize him before he dies from loosing too much blood.

* * *

Private Room, Olympus General Hospital, Olympus

* * *

Jonah was seen in a hospital bed, hooked up to an Intravenous machine with a needle stuck on his right hand. His left hand was cuffed onto the bed side as a security measure, given his ties with Koko and to the rest of HCLI.

"I'm not sure if you can see him, Madam Prime Minister." A hospital doctor was clearly speaking to someone from outside Jonah's room. "He's not that responsive, aside from the fact that he can still understand me when I was asking him if he was alright."

"It's all right." The other person said from outside Jonah's room when she replied to the doctor's concerns. "I'll just come back when I can. After all, this is just a small visit to see if he's all right."

"I'll have someone notify your office when he can speak up after he regains consciousness."

"I understand, doctor."

Footsteps were heard from outside the room, but the white-haired man didn't start to wake up until the main door to his room was opened up.

_Wha? Is someone there?_

"I never thought that I'd see you here of all places."

_That voice._

Jonah tried to get up, but he felt very weak in doing so. Not to mention that he was tired after being shot and capture by commandos back in Russian soil.

_She sounds very familiar._

"It seems that you were picked by ESWAT forces just like me back in Russia. I thought that you were dead after we were forced to go our own separate ways."

_Is.. is that..._

"Don't try to move. You've been cuffed by Olympus police when you were brought here for medical treatment. They had to induce a coma just to make sure that you won't bleed to death after you were treated for gunshot wounds. I heard it was done when you were being brought here to this island."

_Then it means that I'm somewhere else. But who's talking to me..._

Jonah slowly opened his eyes, thanking the gods that there wasn't much bright light in his room since it may force him to close his eyes. He squinted his eyes a bit as he felt a bit sleep, not to mention that he felt dirt was still in his eyes somewhere. Jonah wanted to brush them away, except that he can't move his left arm since he's still cuffed.

"Ah, you're awake now, Jonah."

"W-who is that?"

Jonah focused his eyes on the person who was seated next to his bed. He noted that her voice and her body looked very familiar.

His eyes were then wide open. Does this mean that...

"V-valmet!"

Valmet smiled at Jonah, who still had her eyepatch over one of her eyes. "I see that you still remember me."

"W-where am I?" He tried his best to move his cuffed arm, which failed anyway since it wasn't going to be removed from him any time soon.

"You're in the artificial island of Olympus." Valmet began to explain to the young man. "It looks like it was created during and after the end of World War III."

"An artificial island?" Jonah did remember hearing some stories from Tojo on how the Japanese were trying to conduct land reclamation projects in order to acquire living space for the Japanese since most urban areas didn't have much space for its resident to live or stay in.

"Yeah, that's right." Valmet helped Jonah sit upright, despite being cuffed onto the bed. "I was captured too just like you."

"How?"

Valmet hesitated, but decided to tell him because she could trust him. "I was fighting off Russian Spetsnaz commandos trying to capture me alive. Despite my CQC skills with combat knives, they were able to pounce on me."

Jonah was confused by what Valmet told her. "They did?"

Valmet nodded before she continued. "Yeah. They... at least most of them were killed."

Jonah's face turned a bit pale when he heard the news.

"But what about... Koko?" Jonah was nervous when he asked the ex-Finnish officer the question.

Valmet tried to look question, feeling ashamed. But nevertheless, she faced Jonah and told him the answer. "From what I've been told by ESWAT officials, Koko didn't make it."

Jonah felt down when he heard the answer.

"To be specific, we had to shoot her when she resisted arrest."

Jonah and Valmet looked at the main door to see three ESWAT officers enter the private room. The former noted that they were wearing official ESWAT assault gear with them.

"I'm Deunan Knute." The ESWAT officer introduced herself to Jonah and Valmet.

"Pleased to meet you." When Johan shook hands with her, he noted that she had very short hair that he almost thought that she was a man. Until he got a glimpse of her... chest that is.

"The other ESWAT officers with me are Briareos Hecatonchires and Tereus."

"Hey." Tereus introduced himself to the two ex-Koko bodyguards.

**"Hey there, young man." **Briareos greeted Jonah.

"How did..."

Briareos decided to answer Jonah instead of Deunan. **"We know that you two have been with Ms. Hekmatyar for a long time now, so we figured we'd break the news to you first since we can't get clearance to tell her next of kin. Especially since they're locked up in maximum security due to their association with HCLI, the company that had a role in WWIII."  
**

"What Briareos had meant to say was that Ms. Hekmatyar resisted arrest when she grabbed a pistol from the holster of one of the new ESWAT recruits from Olympus." The bioroid sighed before he continued, "At that point, she fired the weapon and we had no choice but to use deadly force."

"Koko..." Jonah gripped his blanket when he heard that Koko was gunned down by ESWAT officers after she tried to resist arrest.

"Does anyone know how long he's been in this hospital?" Valmet asked the ESWAT officers if they know anything regarding's Jonah stay at the hospital.

"From what we were told by the doctor, you were here for more than a few weeks now after you were airlifted to Olympus General Hospital, so I think it'll be a month soon. The young man should be fine since the bullets went through his arm and leg, so surgery isn't needd for him to make a full recovery." Deunan replied to Jonah's question. "Anyway, we need to go, but someone else will come by in the next few days to see you."

"Thank you, Ms. Knute." Valmet went to comfort Jonah about Koko's death when the three ESWAT officers left the room.

* * *

Corridor, somewhere in Olympus General Hospital, Olympus

* * *

**"Now that guy's a walking irony." **Briareos told Deunan and Tereus as they walked back towards the floor's elevator lobby as the ground floor was their next destination. **"From the intel ESWAT and the Russian-led special forces commandos provided for us a few weeks ago, the kid was a young child soldier who hated the idea of working with weapon dealers after one of them was responsible for killing his family and orphans placed under his care at a mountain infantry base." **

"I don't think that comment is very appropriate, Briareos." Tereus told his ESWAT colleague. "It seems that even though Ms. Hekmatyar chose to resist arrest and we to kill her, it seems that she had a profound effect on Mr. Mar."

"Tereus has a point there, Briareos." Deunan told her boyfriend. "Besides, let's give him some space to mourn her, even if she did play a role in starting World War III."

Briareos sighed. "Whatever. I'm just saying that the kid's a walking irony that he should have just stayed away from HCLI when he had the chance..."

Deunan frowned. "I remember reading up on the intel that he made a deal with Koko's older brother, Kaspar, on letting the three orphans stay alive in return for an agreement that he'd work for HCLI..."

"Here we are."

* * *

Rehabilitation Room, Olympus General Hospital, Olympus

* * *

For the next few days, Jonah spent some time in the rehabilitation room of Olympus General Hospital in order to start his road to recovery. Since he was badly shot in one of his legs by a sniper at the end of WWIII, the doctors had decided that therapy was needed as part of his treatment so that the young man can start walking again.

"All right, Jonah. Just walk slowly with me, okay?" A blond nurse of Cacuasian origin was in her middle 20s with her long hair in a ponytail. With her white nurse uniform and OGH ID pinned on her shirt, Jonah knew that she was someone who will supervise his therapy treatment for a little while.

Jonah then noted that Valmet entered the rehabilitation room with a man in his 30s, with a black beard and mustache, wearing dark blue BDU uniforms and combat boots with a web belt worn at the waist. In fact, they were not that familiar to him, although he knew that Valmet in the Finnish Army before she joined up with HCLI

_Just what kind of uniforms are they?_

"Jonathan Mar, yes?" The old man asked Jonah. At this point, the nurse stopped whatever therapy Jonah was doing so that he could a bit more properly to the man.

Jonah nodded in affirmation. "Yes, that's right. Mind if I can ask your name?"

"I see that you're still polite now despite spending some time as one of the bodyguard of Ms. Hekmatyar before you were captured." The man nodded, pleased to hear Jonah was polite to him. "I wish the youth today were as polite as you are."

"Sir." Valmet coughed a bit in order to get the man's attention.

"Ah, yes! Sorry, sorry. I almost forgot." The bearded man chuckled before he introduced himself to Jonah. "I'm Captain Lance of the Extra-Special Weapons and Advanced Tactics. We're an elite anti-crime slash terrorist unit under the Central Management Bureau, which is effectively the ruling government of Olympus."

"Okay..." Jonah nodded, now understanding Captain Lance's position.

"I'm here to tell you that you've been selected to be the newest recruit of ESWAT." Lance told Jonah before he added. "Ms. Velmer here is another one of our recruits, who's already undergoing training before she's activated as an ESWAT operator."

"And what if I say no?" Jonah asked Lance, being serious with the question.

"I guess you're one of the few who tries to object to being recruited." Lance sighed before he shrugged his shoulder and said, "If you refuse, the CMB can and will have you sent off to trial for crimes perpetrated against humanity when Ms. Hekmatyar tried to use the Jormungand satellite from space. And no, no lawyer will be present to defend you at the Hague. At the very least, the most lenient you can get is that you'll be sentenced to life in prison without any chance of an official pardon at all, considering that most of your actions prior to and after the war."

The ESWAT commanding officer then told Jonah. "If I had my choice here, I'd tell the CMB that you're not worth sending to prison, considering the history that you had prior to your recruitment with HCLI. But with ESWAT's manpower down following the terror incident perpetrated by Doctor Richard Kestner a few months ago, we're doubling our efforts to fill our ranks again. And the top brass is going to say no if you choose to refuse. I'm sorry, Mr. Mar, but you need to make your decision here carefully since I'll be relaying your answer to them."

Jonah was now burdened with two choices. Either accept a combat post with ESWAT alongside Valmet. Or take the risk of being sent to trial for participating alongside Koko in starting up Jormungand with no chance of getting a pardon as he could be seen as an accessory for starting WWIII.

"Alright, Captain." The white-haired man gritted his teeth when he heard his choices from ESWAT's commanding officer. "I'll take up a post at ESWAT." He then cursed before he said, "It seems that I have no choice at this matter anyway."

Lance nodded. "Okay. A representative from the CMB will speak to you in a few days." He then faced Valmet, "I need to head back to ESWAT HQ and inform the top brass about the decision. You can stay here and keep Mr. Mar company."

"Understood, sir." The one-eyed woman saluted Lance, who returned the gesture before he began to make his way out.

Valmet approached Jonah and talked to him when Lance left the rehabilitation room. "Jonah..."

"I'll be fine, Valmet." Jonah sighed when he held onto the movable IV post when his nurse was talking to a fellow nurse about an update on Jonah's therapy progress. "If they sent me to prison, I don't know if I'll be able to see the kids again."

"I understand." Valmet said. "I was also given the same situation too. It seems that for my case, some of my surviving relatives pressured the CMB via the Finnish government to give me a combat post at ESWAT in order to spare my life or be jailed with you."

"It looks like we were placed in a tight spot." Jonah said, who genuinely felt sorry for Valmet, being in the same situation like he is. "Perhaps it would be best if the Russian-led special forces units would have just shot me to death instead of being caught alive and placed in a situation where I have no choice, but to accept my fate."

"It's okay, Jonah." Valmet placed a comforting arm around his shoulders. "I'll be with you all the way."

"T-thank you, Valmet." Jonah's cheeks turned red, having some flashbacks when he took a shower with Valmet back in North Africa. At the time, he was relieved that nothing inappropriate took place aside from the kiss the Finnish woman gave him on his left cheek before he went on her personal mission to kill the man responsible for annihilating her Finnish-led UN squad in the African desert. If Koko were still alive and she heard about that incident, then the white-haired woman would have...

"Anyway, I've decided that you should move in with me, Jonah. ESWAT was kind enough to assist me in looking for a place to live."

"W-where do you live, Valmet?"

"You'll find out."

* * *

Jonah continued on with his therapy as part of his treatment at OGH with signs of improvements on his health. Valmet had been conducting visits of her own, most of them done outside of her ESWAT training hours. Sometimes, she was accompanied by a few active ESWAT officers to give the white-haired man some optimism that he can make a quick recover, as well as to talk about his future.

At first, Jonah felt apprehensive about being a future ESWAT officer. But after he heard from Deunan and Briareos on how they became ESWAT officers themselves after they spent a majority of their lives fighting in WWIII with the former United States Army before it went to split off to several armies in North America, the white-haired man thought that perhaps he can make a difference with the lives of people post-war since they need to move on from the ravages of the war and rebuild their lives.

The ex-child soldier then made his decision to stay with ESWAT. Besides, it's not like that he can go back to HCLI since it's been disbanded because of its responsibility for Jormungand.

* * *

Control Room, ESWAT Kill House, somewhere in Olympus City, Olympus

* * *

With advanced medical treatment alongside therapy, Jonah made a full recovery from his gunshot wounds after four months of his stay at OGH. During the time, ESWAT and the CMB jointly paid up whatever medical bills he had to pay for his stay, which included treatment. Afterwards, he was ordered to begin training at ESWAT Headquarters.

It was now over six months since Jonah began ESWAT training with the unit.

"It's been a few months since Jonah stayed at OGH." Deunan said when he stepped into the control room with Briareos and Tereus.

"I wonder how the young man has been doing since he immediately began his ESWAT training when the doctors had cleared him officially?" Tereus then raised the question to his ESWAT comrades.

**"I guess that we'll have to see for ourselves." **Briareos mused before Lance stepped inside.

"Ah, it's good to see you three as requested." The ESWAT commanding officer told the three veteran officers.

"Beg your pardon, sir. But why are we here?" Deunan asked Lance, being curious to his orders to proceed to the kill house's control room after she and the others had officially reported for duty.

"You're about see the fruits of six months training placed upon Jonah and Valmet." Lance told Deunan. "Command has decided to assign them with you, Briareos and Tereus as new members in order to fill up our ranks once again."

**"Looks like Jonah and Valmet have shown up now." **Briareos pointed to the control room's main screen, which showed Jonah and Vamet in ESWAT assault gear. Both of them were armed with Seburo J9 submachine guns.

"Start the simulation." Lance gave the order to the officers manning the control room.

"Understood, sir. We're beginning the simulation." One of the officer replied while another got on his headset's microphone in order to inform Jonah and Valmet that the kill house simulation was about to start.

"Look at those two go." Tereus commented when he watched the live video feed that showed the two ex-HCLI bodyguards clear room after room in the kill house with precision and coordination.

"It seems that those two are used to things like that before and after the war started." Deunan shared her own thoughts.

**"I'll wait and see if they can get pass through the hardest part of the kill house test." **Briareos was a bit skeptical on having Jonah recruited, especially with his child soldier background. **"Usually most of the new recruits couldn't figure this part out."**

"Oh, you'll have to see that one for yourself, Briareos." Lance advised his subordinate. "I heard from the others officers that the two were able to ace that one without any much trouble at all during their first training day at at the kill house..."

* * *

Corridor, ESWAT Kill House, somewhere in Olympus City, Olympus

* * *

"Valmet."

Jonah motioned Valmet to stop after they cleared most of the rooms in the kill house, stopping by the only staircase that led to the second floor.

"What is it, Jonah?"

Valmet took the time to stop and reload her J9. She crouched and reloaded her weapon when Jonah made a visual inspection of the staircase.

"I think I found something." Jonah whipped out a combat knife and used it to gently tap the steps for any kinds of trap. "And I found something."

The young man looked closer at the step to see a tripwire with a mock frag grenade tied on the wire.

"Can you cut it?" Valmet asked after she finished reloading her J9.

"I think I can, Valmet. Please cover me." Jonah began to cut the tripwire with the combat knife blade.

"Understood, Jonah." Valmet shouldered the J9 when Jonah was halfway done. A few minutes, Jonah gave the thumbs up to Valmet that he was able to disarm the trip wire.

"Let's move." Jonah took the lead with his J9 slung at his back. He began to check the steps on the second staircase that led to the second floor. Sure enough, Jonah found another tripwire with a mock frag grenade tied to the end.

_A common tactics for guerrilla-trained persons like me..._

The white-haired ESWAT recruit began to use his combat knife once again. He was thankful that he made the decision to hold onto the bladed weapon until he could ensure that there weren't more tripwires planted about.

"And there I go." Jonah murmured when he began to use the combat knife to disable the second tripwire.

* * *

Control Room, ESWAT Kill House, somewhere in Olympus City, Olympus

* * *

Briareos seemed impressed by the actions Jonah made in the kill house. **"I'll have to admit that I'm pretty impressed with the actions Jonah's taking to take out the tripwires."**

"According to intel we got, Jonah was given military training at a young age." Lance told the cyborg when he leafed through a folder that included bio data on both Jonah and Valmet prior to joining ESWAT. "His specialty is mountain-based combat, but I was told that he got guerrilla training also in the mix."

"Looks like they'll be able to wrap this up pretty quickly." Deunan said when she watched Jonah and Valmet took a couple of smoke grenades to cloud the entire floor with smoke. Afterwards, the two ran up the staircase and peppered all the cyborg armed with various small arms. They took turns in conducting suppressive fire when either Jonah or Valmet needed to reload.

Lance was busy answering a call on his mobile phone when the staff informed Jonah and Valmet that they were able to take down all the armed cyborg without being shot at. The captain was later informed about this as well.

"And so we get two new members for our unit." Tereus said when the control room staff clapped their way while ESWAT staff officers came to the second floor and informed the two recruits that they need to leave at once and get debriefed.

"Hey you guys." Lance kept his mobile phone after the call ended. "Looks like debriefing and celebration for the newest recruits will have to wait for a little while."

"How come, sir?"

"I just got a call straight from ESWAT HQ. They're been a situation and ESWAT's needed on the scene."

"Understood, sir." Deunan saluted Lance with Briareos and Tereus before the three officers rushed out of the room.

* * *

Outskirts of Olympus Office Heights, Olympus City, Olympus

* * *

Armed Olympus Police officers have cleared out much of the downtown core with police Landmates deployed. The Olympus military has not been deployed since the country's laws dictate that the police would take care of the problem before responsibility would be handed over to the military if current resources aren't enough to handle a threat such as the hostage crisis they're facing, which escalated a lot after unknown terrorists stormed the office building and executed several hostages due to the CMB's refusal to properly negotiate with them.

Nearby, several news media vans were parked in a safe zone as news cameras filmed the arrival of several more police Landmates to guard the police cordon from any attacks made by the armed terrorists.

Secretly, the CMB made the unofficial announcement to have ESWAT forces deployed. In a matter of minutes, the emergency restrictions laws would be put into place so that the media won't be allowed to report on the deployment of ESWAT or to film their arrival onto the scene. One of the last things the CMB and ESWAT wanted is that the terrorists were immediately tipped off of their arrival.

* * *

Cargo Area, ESWAT Wasp VTOL aircraft, en route to Olympus Office Heights

* * *

**"Alright everyone, be sure to check your weapons and gear one last time."**

Briareos gave his instructions to the ESWAT officers on the cargo area of the Wasp VTOL as it was one of three VTOL aircraft deployed from a ESWAT helipad to the Olympus Office Heights. All of them had been debriefed en route with orders to use lethal force to secure the hostages before more of them will be executed by the armed terrorists.

Valmet went to load up a magazine on her Seburo C26A submachine gun before she checked the scope to make sure nothing was obstructing it. Jonah checked the mounted suppressor on his C26A after he placed the sling on his right shoulder. For the record, all of the ESWAT officers on board the Wasp VTOL were armed with suppressed C26As.

"We've been the green light to be deployed." Deunan spoke to the others after she heard the orders relayed to her headset from ESWAT Headquarters. "Let's get out there and save those hostages."

**"You heard the lady. Let's go, go, go, go!"**

The cyborg took the lead, being in his ESWAT-issued Landmate. He fell off the edge after he wore his Landmate helmet, using the suit's antigravity flight system to allow him to fly. A couple of ESWAT officers followed Briareo's lead from their ESWAT Landmates. The other ESWAT officers, including Jonah and Valmet, rappelled down the Wasp VTOL via attached fastroping mechanism that consist of a handgrip and the Fast Rope Insertion Extraction System that would allow a ESWAT officer to rappel down a rope safely and fast.

**"Remember to have your watches synchronized at 1300 hours!" **Lance gave out the order from the headsets of the ESWAT officers, which they complied with before they were ordered to be deployed.

"Jonah, be careful okay?" Valmet told Jonah before she was about to use the fastrope mechanism from one of the VTOL's pods.

"Um, yeah." Jonah nodded. Before he used the fastroping mechanism, the white-haired ESWAT officer checked to make sure his submachine gun's sling was secured on his back. Once that was done, he rappelled down from the Wasp and onto the ground together with Valmet as they were the last ESWAT officers on board from their Wasp.

* * *

Mobile ESWAT command center, near outskirts of Olympus Office Heights, Olympus City, Olympus

* * *

Lance was already inside the ESWAT mobile command center, which was disguised as a plain white truck with no insignia or decals that can indicate that it's from a company or a shop or someplace similar. It was parked near the cordoned streets, so as not to arouse any suspicion. Because of this, Lance chose to wear civilian clothes in order to blend in completely in case he needs to get out and do something, like to get some food or answer the call of nature.

**"Begin Operation Cast Lead." **Lance spoke on his headset's microphone after he got confirmation that the Wasp VTOLs had safely withdrawn without being shot down form the air.

**"Understood, captain." **A male voice answered on his headset. He was directed to the main screen of the mobile command center, which showed two ESWAT team making preparations to enter the rooftop door, which leads to the emergency staircase. One team was stationed on the roof to act as backup and to act as a strike force after most of the threat inside was taken care of.

**"Alright. Remember, use extreme caution when you get inside." **Lance gave out the order when the two ESWAT teams infiltrated the emergency staircase. **"And make sure your bullets count at the tangos, not the hostages. We've got a lot of things at stake here."**

**"Yes, sir."**

"And now, we wait." Lance flipped up the microphone when he continued to monitor the situation at the cordon.

* * *

Corridor, Olympus Office Heights, Olympus City, Olympus

* * *

An AK-12-armed terrorist, who had a balaclava and a tac vest and a holster worn over his hoodie and jeans (with rubber shoes to boot) stood guard near a fire escaped door that led to the emergency staircase.

"Wha?" The armed terrorist saw that, for some reason, the emergency staircase opened up. Which made him even more curious by approaching the door and checking it to see if anyone was around.

When the terrorist peeked inside, he was grabbed by the head and tackled down. This was followed by a neck snap that ended the person's life.

"Like they say, curiosity killed the cat." Valmet said coldly after she dropped the dead terrorist's head.

"Nice one, Valmet." Deunan complimented Valmet for her CQC skills while Tereus and a ESWAT officer of Arab African origin dragged the corpse away inside while the former took the assault rifle inside so as not to tip anyone off.

"I guess we go in next." Valmet shouldered her C26A while she gripped it carefully after she stood up from the ground.

"Right. Let's go." Deunan said before she gave the signal, moving into the corridor first with her own C26A at the ready.

* * *

Rooftop, Olympus Office Heights, Olympus City, Olympus

* * *

Jonah was with the third ESWAT team stationed on the rooftop. Apparently, his orders are to stay with the team until most of the terrorist are cleared from the two top floors, which is said to be where the hostages are gathered at based from intelligence gained from a few hostages who were able to transmit the data via SMS before they were rounded up and executed.

"Hey new guy, you nervous?"

The white-haired man turned to face his left and saw someone who he didn't recognize at all. The only distinguishable characteristics of the man consists of being of Caucasian origin with a scar on his right cheek and short blonde. He appeared to be in his early to mid 30s.

"Not really. I mean, this is kinda like second nature." Jonah replied before he said, "But not like this."

"I gotcha." The blonde man replied. He subsequently introduced himself, "Name's Robert Romses. I'm from Ottawa in Canada."

"Jonathan. Jonathan Mar. I'm usually addressed as Jonah."

"I see, Jonah. So you were recruited from outside Olympus?"

Jonah nodded.

"I moved here just to have a change of pace after I spent a few years in the Canadian Army under Joint Task Force Two." Robert explained about his origins. "I did some stint overseas after the war. You probably don't know about this, but one of my ancestors was an officer of the said unit back when it was a new unit."

"What was his name?" Jonah asked the ex-JTF-2 operator.

Robert frowned before he was able to tell Jonah the answer. "If I recall from what my father told me, it's Brigadier General Ray Romses."

**"Listen up, Charlie Team!" **Lance was speaking to everyone in ESWAT's Charlie Team, including Jonah and Robert. **"I've got confirmation that Alpha and Bravo have managed to sweep most of the upper floors without reports of any casualties. And Delta Team reports that all the other floors clear of any terrorists or hostages."  
**

_It seems like the Landmates led by Mr. Briareos was done without casualties. _Jonah surmised when he got his C26A at the ready.

**"I'm getting more reports that the hostages are herded at an empty office floor at Olympus Office Height's 29th floor." **

Jonah and Robert both remembered from the most recent ESWAT briefing that the office building had a total of 33 floors. It seemed that they're the ones in charge of commencing the rescue operation. They were ordered, via hand signals, to move to the edge of the roof from all sides.

**"I want everyone in Charlie Team to get ready for rappelling at once. We'll be using flashbangs and smoke grenades to disorient the terrorists in a surprise attack."**

Each ESWAT operator got their personal rappelling gear ready, which consisted of a metal hook placed on the roof with a sheath cover placed over the rope. They placed the hook on the ground and ensured that the sharp hooks were firmly secured onto the concrete.

"Time to go." Jonah said when he used his left hand to get a firm grip on the sheath that covered the rope of his rappelling gear. He waited until Lance to go-ahead to rappel down and assault the place.

**"This is Alpha Team. We've secured the area around the conference room."**

**"This is Bravo Team. We've taken a few terrorists into custody after we subdued them."**

**"This is Delta Team. I have visual confirmation that no other terrorists are present at the other lower floors. The police cordon is still secured as well."**

_This is it, then?  
_

**"All right. Go, go, go! We're beginning the second phase of Operation Cast Lead!"  
**

Jonah, Robert and the other ESWAT officers began to rappel from the roof after they heard the order from Lance. The West Asian man kept a good grip on his C26A until he was able to rappel near the glass windows of the 29th floor.

When the ESWAT officers were above the 29th floor windows, they used their boot-clad feet to propel themselves backwards while holding onto the rope sheath. This gave them enough momentum to perform a dynamic entry by using their feet to kick the glass very hard.

"Go, go, go!" Robert shouted as he was one of the first ESWAT officers to get into the office floor alongside Jonah. Both of them pulled the safety pins of their flashbangs and hurled it at the terrorists, followed by smoke grenades to keep them disoriented.

The disoriented terrorists tried to fight back by shooting their AK-12s at them, which resulted in hitting the ceiling instead. ESWAT officers fired their C26As at the armed terrorists, the latter not knowing that they've been shot until they've been hit at the chest and legs thanks to the submachine gun's mounted suppressor.

Jonah made sure that his shots counted

"One of them's getting away!" Jonah shouted when he saw one of the armed terrorists trying to escape with a hostage.

"Go Jonah! I got this!" Robert shouted as he pinned down one of the terrorists trying to get his sidearm on the ground.

Jonha nodded when he proceeded to give chase.

* * *

Corridor, Olympus Office Heights, Olympus City, Olympus

* * *

At a corridor that led away from the 29th floor's main office area, Jonah managed to catch up with the armed terrorist and quickly shot him at his right arm since he was using it to drag his hostage with the C26A fired in single shot mode.

"AGH!" The terrorist shouted after he was shot in the arm. However, he used his left arm to put the hostage in a grip by using his arm. Despite this, he struggled to keep his hand on the pistol grip of his AK-12.

"I never thought that I'd see you again." The terrorist muttered, trying to aim his AK-12 at Jonah. "Jonah."

"What?" Jonah was a bit shocked when he heard that the terrorist address him by name. _How does he know me?_

"I never thought that I'd see you really take the ESWAT job after I saved your life back in Russia."

"Wait?" Jonah tried to question the suspect. "Your accent sounds Russian... Were you from the Army?"

"That's right." The terrorist answered. "And I never thought that I'd see you here."

"Why? Why the hell are you doing this?!"

"I'm fighting for the emancipation for all human residents of Olympus! Long have they been blinded and misguided by this island's government."

"And I'm getting from your line of thinking that hostages are the only way to do this?"

"'Che! These people are traitors to their own kind, working for the Olympian government! WE SHOULD RISE UP AND CRUSH THEM AND FREE OUR HUMAN BRETHREN!"

Jonah couldn't wait any more to see what would happen next.

Especially since the armed terrorist decided to fire the AK-12 at him, even though he was a bit wounded.

BAM! BAM!

A couple of gunshots rang out from behind Jonah. The bullets struck the terrorist at his right leg, forcing his release on the hostage. Behind the young ESWAT recruit, Valmet and an ESWAT officer moved in to help the hostage after she ran towards them.

"Good work, Jonah!" Deunan began her approach near Jonah with her personal custom Colt MK IV Series 70 pistol.

"I... not giving up!" The terrorist tried again to stand his ground, this time drawing out a Walther P5 pistol from a hidden holster concealed at his waistband.

Jonah was much quicker than the terrorist, shooting him several times in the chest.

"This... is an irony indeed." The terrorist found himself leaning on the wall behind him when Deunan approached him and took off his balaclava after she kicked the pistol away from him.

"It seems... that you've changed from... the time my forces have captured you back in Russia." The unmasked terrorist was revealed to be a Caucasian man in his 50s with blonde hair in a crewcut hairstyle.

Police Landmates began to secure the airspace around the office building as more ESWAT officers began to converge onto Jonah and Deunan in order to render them assistance.

* * *

Bedroom, unknown apartment, Olympus City, Olympus

* * *

Jonah, now wearing a white shirt, black short with bare feet, sat on a king-size bed that has a blanket and a mattress on. He enjoyed it, especially since the floor's carpeted that it was a nice change of pace aside from staying in few hotels with Koko that he needed to conduct guard duty or at the _Atlas_, the cargo ship used by Koko to transport arms and equipment.

He watched the Olympus New Channel on a HD TV screen, which showed him and Deunan escorting paramedics with a wounded terrorist before a couple of ESWAT officers went inside the ambulance to provide security. Jonah and other ESWAT officers learned that the wounded terrorist was Captain Segei Fedorov, a veteran Spetsnaz operator who fought at the last year of WWIII after being commissioned as an officer in the Russian Army. The ONC news feed also revealed that he began to support anti-bioroid terrorist groups before and after he left the Spetsnaz, which led him to the terror attack against Olympus.

"How are you feeling, Jonah?"

Jonah turned around to see Valmet had just left the bathroom, already done with the shower. It seemed that she was dressed up for sleep like always, wearing a tank top without anything worn to cover her legs.

"F-fine, Valmet!" Jonah tried to think about what he saw, preferring to concentrate on the news channel.

"Jonah..." Valmet wrapped her arms around his waist, putting her chin on his right shoulder. "You shouldn't just ignore me because you feel like it, you know?"

Jonah stayed quiet.

"You know, I'm glad that you survived your first day as a ESWAT officer fine and well." Valmet smiled at Jonah with her arms wrapped around his waist. "You're going to be my roommate too while you're at it, so I hope we'll get along just fine."

"O-of course, Valmet!"

Valmet sighed and said, "You know, Jonah. You seemed to be more handsome than the first time I met you with Koko." The Finnish woman grinned. "Is it because you want to impress me on behalf of R and Tojo?"

"I suggest that we don't go there..."

"I'm kidding." Valmet kissed Jonah on his right cheek. "You should learn to relax a little." The one-eyed woman told Jonah, "But still, I appreciate that you accepted my request to be my roommate. For now, let's go to sleep now."

"Uh, yeah sure."

Valmet turned off the TV and motioned Jonah to head to bed with her.

Jonah closed the lights and got into bed, wondering how it feels like to sleep with a different woman, aside from Koko, although they didn't do anything except to just sleep. I_ guess I need to thank Hitomi for helping Valmet get a place. Without one, I'd probably sleep somewhere else._

"Thank you, Jonah."

Valmet rolled onto the side and wrapped her arms Jonah and kissed his right ear.

"Thank you for being alive."

"Ah." Jonah whispered when he clutched the pillow below his head before he whispered. "Don't mention it, Valmet."

Chapter 4 END

* * *

PS - Apologies for the long wait. But I got a load of excuses for that. I'll go and start with getting complications from my post-radiation therapy treatment to ensure my tumor at the brain won't grow back again. Coupled with general laziness and my father showing my the ropes of the business in order to be involved in the Bamboo Network are the reasons why I'm absent for more than a month now. Go to wikipedia and check "Bamboo Network" and you'll see what I'm talking about.

For the meantime, this chapter is officially crossed over with the Appleseed movies. There is a XIII TV series on Appleseed IIRC, but I've yet to see that one. Let me know if I made a mistake or two with regards to the Jormungand system since it's been a while since I've read/watched it. You may catch some Ghost in the Shell references here too.

Also, I'm starting to ship Jonah/Valmet here! Hell yesz! Probably the first to challenge the Koko/Jonah pairing on the net.

I made the announcement on my profile page as of upload that I wish to pursue a crossover fanfic with characters from various franchises/series published/distributed officially by Capcom, Namco and Sega. Please PM me for details if you're interested or if you have ideas on working on this with me. Thanks!

I look forward to any reviews/comments/critical thoughts/helpful flames to encourage yours truly in making bigger and better chapters in the near future. Hopefully I did okay here.


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